Apple has officially unveiled its new iPad Pro powered by the M5 chip, marking what the company describes as the most advanced iPad experience to date. The announcement was made on Wednesday (15), highlighting major improvements in performance, design, and AI capabilities, all integrated into a thinner and more portable device.
According to John Ternus, Apple’s Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering, the M5-based iPad Pro represents a significant leap forward in versatility and power. He emphasized that the new chip enables “unprecedented levels of creativity and productivity,” offering faster AI performance, enhanced graphics, and cutting-edge wireless connectivity, all running on the new iPadOS 26 platform.
The latest iPad Pro introduces a sleek, ultra-thin design — measuring 5.3mm for the 11-inch model and just 5.1mm for the 13-inch version. Both feature an advanced Ultra Retina XDR OLED display with dual-layer technology. The screen supports ProMotion and True Tone technologies, offering a 120 Hz refresh rate and up to 1,600 nits of peak brightness in HDR mode, ensuring vibrant color accuracy and fluid responsiveness.
Performance-wise, the M5 chip integrates a 10-core CPU, divided into four performance cores and six efficiency cores. Apple claims this setup allows for 3D rendering with Ray Tracing up to 1.5 times faster than its predecessor. The GPU also features 10 cores, while the 16-core Neural Engine delivers up to 3.5 times faster AI performance. Memory configurations include up to 12GB of RAM, with storage options ranging from 256GB to 512GB.
The new model supports fast charging at up to 60W, allowing users to recharge 50% of the battery in just 30 minutes. On the software side, iPadOS 26 introduces a redesigned interface called “Liquid Glass,” along with an enhanced windowing system, a new menu bar, and improved file organization tools. It also integrates Apple Intelligence and a revamped Preview app for seamless PDF viewing and editing.
Apple has also developed new connectivity components for this generation. The C1X modem, featured in cellular models, offers up to 30% faster speeds with reduced energy consumption compared to previous models. Additionally, the N1 chip supports Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5, and Thread connectivity for improved wireless performance.
Pre-orders for the new iPad Pro began on the launch day, with deliveries starting October 22. Pricing starts at $999 for the 11-inch Wi-Fi model and $1,199 for the cellular version. The 13-inch model begins at $1,299 for Wi-Fi and $1,499 with cellular connectivity.
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